A Duet of Shadow and Flame
by The Shadow Wolfe
Summary: When Wendy's boyfriend breaks up with her just prior to their senior prom, she decides to cut her losses and back out of the night. However, some simple advice from an old friend convinces her to at least consider otherwise and soon after a mysterious note gives her hope that maybe, just maybe, the night could hold the answers to everything she's ever wanted.
1. Chapter 1

**A Duet of Shadow and Flame**

 **Chapter 1 – Disappointment**

* * *

Many things could be said in regards to Gwendolyn "Wendy" Corduroy, eldest child – and only daughter – of legendary lumberjack "Manly" Daniel Corduroy. To many, she was skilled, loyal and cool under pressure. To others, she was mischievous, lazy and a natural-born troublemaker. Obviously, any or all of these views were true on any given day, but then they were simply the qualities that everyone knew.

Beyond these, however, were things that others knew nothing of; such as the keen intellect and near debilitating levels of stress hidden beneath her seemingly carefree demeanor. The first she kept hidden for the sake of avoiding unwanted attention while simply enjoying her personal victories in academics. The latter, she concealed out of worry for her family and the uncertainty of her own immanent ascension into adulthood.

Yes, as hard as it was to believe, in only five short months she would finally reach the mythical age of eighteen when literally everything would change; a prospect that terrified her to the core even as it tantalized her adventurous spirit.

Of course, to those who knew her best, even these revelations would have come as little surprise.

Something that might have surprised – perhaps even shocked! – others, however, were the secret hopes and dreams instilled in her at a young age by her mother; back when all she knew of boys was that she could easily best them in most activities. Back then, boys didn't like her for that reason and she didn't like them because she was constantly forced to avoid contamination by the dreaded cooties that plagued them. Back then, she had simply assumed boys where icky and would always remain so.

But her mother had told her stories that painted a different picture of such things. Not stories about some helpless princess waiting for a handsome prince to rescue her, but rather stories of a woman who had once been Jessica O'Rourke and the scruffy lumberjack who had won her heart by never asking for anything more than her smile. Stories of how he – a perpetually angry mountain of a man with a grip that could dent steel – would sit with her silently when she was upset, recite bad poetry to make her laugh and bring her flowers simply because he thought she might like them.

For years, such stories had been the tales which lulled Wendy to sleep at bedtime and had forever shaped her view of love long before she ever understood what "love" really meant.

Yes, beneath everything she showed to the world, she – Wendy Corduroy, lumberjill extraordinaire and well recognized 'queen of cool' – was at heart a hopeless romantic; a fact that always set off a cascade of emotions that never failed to set her heart racing even as set her cheeks ablaze.

Naturally, the most prominent of those emotions was always embarrassment; for not only did they clash with her carefully crafted image, but also because she knew that friend and frenemy alike would never let her live down such a secret. Beyond that embarrassment, however, there was longing; a deep, soul-burning desire to know the kind of love her mother had experienced as opposed to the simply dating she herself had known. In the end though, it was always uncertainty that won the day and made her question whether those stories had ever held any truth within them; and if it was really too much to ask for someone to see her, want her and treat her the way her father had done for her mother.

In such times, the questions that often came to the forefront of her mind were always the same.

Would it inconvenience a potential suitor to call her for no reason other than to check up on her? Would it hurt them to give her a flower simply because they could? Would it bother them to be beside her simply for the sake of being beside her; without expectation or pressure for more, perhaps without pressure for _anything_ at all?

Inevitably, the answer to those questions always seemed to be "Yes," but even that knowledge still failed to diminish the hope she held for the kind of love she truly wanted.

Three summers earlier, she had allowed herself the hope that she had finally found that kind of love, back when Robbie Valentino had professed to have written a song for her; and all of Gravity Falls seemed to know how _that_ fiasco had ended.

Back then, as now, it seemed that the boys who showed interest in her were never interested in honest romance; only in bolstering their own popularity by association or – much later – by being the one who finally managed to score with the local 'celebrity' in the wake of Weirdmageddon. Thankfully, the fact that such a thing had never happened had eventually caused her popularity to wane back to her small circle of friends along with a few diehard hopefuls. It was also the reason why she remained one of the few 'still-proud-to-be-a-virgins' left in her high school.

But that same summer had also been when she first met the then twelve-year-old Dipper Pines; a funny, paranoid boy with boundless curiosity and infinite imagination whom she had initially seen as just another kid to deal with. A boy who had later shown more bravery than some men thrice his age and who had overcome his awkwardness around her to become one of the best friends she had ever had. A boy who had inadvertently declared his love for her in the wake of a harrowing and near fatal adventure; and whose heart she had broken in response, despite her best effort to break it gently.

Back then, she had felt that same fragile flutter of hope building in the aftermath of his confession, but as flattered as she had been, she had dismissed his feelings as a schoolboy crush. Back then, their age difference made it seem like the right decision. Nevertheless, as her little doofus had grown and become one of the few people in whom she could truly confide, she sometimes found herself wishing she had chosen to give him a chance instead. Unfortunately, she had long ago convinced herself that that ship had sailed and that she had missed it.

Every so often, however, she still let herself wonder whether or not that belief was really true.

 _-Two months earlier-_

At exactly what point she realized that movie night wasn't happening was difficult to say, but strange as it sounded, she found that that fact didn't bother her that much. Not because she didn't want to have a bit of time to destress by bashing some of the worst B-Movies ever made, far from it. Rather, after the day she had had, she simply decided to enjoy the spectacle unfolding before her and revel in the familiar absurdity of it all.

Lying atop her bed on her stomach, dressed in her favorite flannel nightshirt and loose black pants with her outdated but serviceable laptop resting before her, Wendy watched the scene currently unfolding across the video chat she shared with one of her dearest friends. More appropriately, she lay watching the occasional blur of red and blue that zipped back and forth across the screen and snickered at the hasty platitudes of ' _one sec'_ and _'I know it's here!'_ or _'sorry!'_ that punctuated the brief appearances before the figure finally settled itself in front of the camera.

"So… found your essay I take it?"

"Yeah, I guess Mabel decided it'd be funny to hide it on me again."

"Figured," she said as she let herself gaze fully upon one half of the pair of twins who that had become her best friends over the years and felt herself smile at the sight.

Gone was the scrawny, noodle-armed child she had met three years ago, that image long replaced by a young man with nicely defined shoulders that highlighted a runner's physique and friendly face that now sported a pair of thin-rimmed glasses. A look that she often felt gave him a far more distinguished appearance than his age would normally allow, and had told himself several times. In truth, the only things about him that hadn't changed were the Ursa Major shaped birthmark upon his forehead and the scruffy brown hair that still defied any attempt made to comb it; and while her friend would likely never be considered an Adonis, there was little doubt in her mind that if he ever got out of his studies long enough to date again, he would likely be breaking hearts left and right.

Yes, she had to admit that Dipper Pines had filled out nicely.

"Wendy?"

"Hrm?"

"You uh… didn't answer my question and you're um… k-kinda staring at me. Everything okay?"

As the realization that her introspection had caused her to zone out momentarily, she fought the urge to blush and shook her head quickly before flashing him an awkward smile.

"Sorry, dude, was thinking about something else there. What did you say?"

"I asked if you'd gotten your outfit yet," he said. "You and Mabel were talking about it all last week and the seamstress seemed to think she could get it done fairly quickly. I was um… well… I was kind of hoping I could get a sneak peek?"

While she had been prepared for almost anything, the innocent question caught her off guard and she felt herself tense up as unwanted memories of an earlier conversation and the awkwardness that followed came flooding back. Of course Dipper would ask her about that, for while she remained convinced that he had grown out of seeing her through the rose-colored lenses of a crush, he still took an interest in nearly anything she did and would often be her sounding board for various situations; a fact she usually appreciated more than she could ever let on. Unfortunately, despite her attempt to keep her face free of emotions, something must have shown through as she watched Dipper tilt his head slightly to the side as he regarded her silently; an action that left no doubt in her mind that he knew something was wrong.

Somehow, that made what she was about to say even harder as it felt as though she were about to break his heart all over again.

"I… no I cancelled the order," she said at length.

"What? Why?! Wait…" he paused, standing up suddenly so that his face almost completely filled the camera. "She didn't mess it up did she?!"

"Heh, nah dude, nothing like that," she said, forcing a laugh as she waved her hand dismissively. "I just… decided I wasn't gonna go after all, you know? Just kinda changed my mind, you know? Way too much drama and stuff for me."

At first, she hoped her nonchalance would stave off further questions and allow them to either talk some more or get on with movie night; until she remembered which of the Mystery Twins she was speaking to and cursed herself for ever answering his question. Quick as a whip, Dipper was on his feet once more, a look of disbelief on his face as he stared at her. Naturally, she knew what was coming next and tried to will it away, but of course that didn't work.

"What do you mean you're not going!?" he said, practically yelling. "Wendy this was all you talked about for the past month! You said you'd finally found a good guy and that you were going to go and have fun and that you…!"

"Dude! Dude! Chill out, man!" she said, leaning back a little and kicking her feet up as she flashed what she hoped was a reassuring smile towards her panicking friend. "It's just, well, things didn't work out between me and Mike, that's all. I mean, it's just another dance, no big deal right? Really, it's not all that different from the stuff we do at the Mystery Shack all the time. Just on a bigger scale… seriously dude, that's all it is, just another dance."

Silently, she could not help but wonder which of them she was trying harder to convince.

"But," he whined. "Wendy, you were looking forward to it. What happened? Why did you two break up?"

"Dipper…"

"Why?"

"Dipper, look man I just…" she began, only to bite her lip and look away. Even on her poor excuse for a computer, she could see the concern that filled her friend's chocolate brown eyes.

In that moment, all she wanted to do was accept the comfort she knew to be hiding behind those eyes, but instead remained frozen where she lay.

"Wendy, you know I'm not gonna push you for an answer," he said. "But, I can see you're hurting right now and you know I'll listen."

"Doof… Dipper," she said, sighing heavily.

Always the concerned little gentleman, that was her doofus alright.

"Look, the truth is, I thought I finally found the _one guy_ in my high school who wanted something more than to score with 'The Lumberjack Princess of Weirdmageddon," she said. "Guess I thought wrong."

On the screen, Dipper stared at her for several seconds, almost – but not quite – slack-jawed before he too sighed and slouched back into his chair.

"Seriously?"

"Seriously."

With those words, silenced descended over them and it became apparent that movie night had officially been ruined. For Wendy, there was no point in trying to break Dipper from the funk she knew such information would instill in him. For Dipper, she knew that there was no salvaging a night when he knew she had once again been hurt by someone she trusted.

"Look, Dipper, let's just…"

"I think you should still go," he said, cutting her off.

"Say what?" she replied.

"Wendy," he said, looking at her with a now determined smile. "I… I think you should still go. It's your senior prom and even if you go alone, I think you should be there. You might have fun anyway."

"Dipper… dude, I appreciate that but…"

"That's… that's the advice you gave me when Laura and I broke up before that dance freshman year," he said, cutting her off once more. "I, yeah I went by myself but I still had fun. Remember?"

Of course she remembered, just as she remembered comforting him when he found out that the girl he thought liked him had only been using him to improve her grades; and while she felt like cursing herself for that advice now, she couldn't help but be touched on some level. Likewise, she couldn't help but marvel at how much her little man had grown over the years.

After at least two minutes of silence, she finally nodded and said, "I remember."

"So… you'll go?"

"I…I…" she stammered. "Dude, I dunno… maybe? It won't hurt to think about it I guess."

"Okay."

"Thanks, Doofus."

"You're welcome."

As another companionably awkward silence fell upon them, Wendy felt herself smile genuinely at him in response. However, it also became rapidly clear that neither knew what else to say on the matter. Instead of forcing further conversation though, they promised each other a raincheck for the lost movie night and said their respective goodnights before shutting off the video feeds.

Suddenly alone, Wendy felt that awkward silence turn almost sinister as it closed around her and she found herself reflexively seeking out her old stuff walrus in response; and sighed thankfully at the sense comfort its nearly inaudible squeak brought her. Closing her eyes, she shifted and slide beneath her covers, attempting to relax while simultaneously offering up a silent prayer for sleep to take her quickly that night. Unfortunately, as she curled up around the familiar softness of her old plush toy, she found herself wonder what it might have felt like to curl up to Dipper instead.

Hours later, she quietly cursed the sweet oblivion of sleep that never found her as her red-rimmed eyes stared out the window into the rising sun beyond.

* * *

" _I don't know how it started  
Or why it ever had to end.  
When something stepped inside,  
We didn't let it in.  
It's keeping us apart…  
Where are you now?"_

 _-"Where Are You Now?" by Jimmy Harnen_

 **Author's Notes:**

I do not own Gravity Falls. All characters are © to their respective owners. No Infringement is intended.

Chapter Theme Song: "Where Are You Now?" by Jimmy Harnen.

This story was originally inspired by the Wendip Week Tumblr Prompt "Dance" and was the only one that gave me immediate inspiration. Unfortunately, I'm a bit late to the party for that one, but I'm writing the story anyway! I hope everyone enjoys it!

This chapter has been revised and edited from its original publication. Hopefully the new changes come through seamlessly and it is improved upon in general.


	2. Chapter 2

**A Duet of Shadow and Flame**

 **Chapter 2 – Invitation**

* * *

Like nearly any teenager, anywhere in the world, Wendy Corduroy enjoyed her sleep, even though she rarely slept past sunrise no matter how tired she might have been. When she was small, she blamed that particular habit on behaviors learned from her parents; for she could scarcely remember a time when at least one of them wasn't awake before dawn. Later, she instead attributed them to the light chills that always seemed to linger in the air no matter the time of year; just cool enough to send goosebumps down her arms and tease the feeling of life back into her senses. Later still, she began to reason that while she would never go as far as to call herself a morning person, there was simply something she found indescribably beautiful about mornings; and she loved them for it.

However, as she had grown older and more introspective, she had finally determined the real reason for her behavior and found it simpler – yet infinitely more complex – than any of her previous realizations.

Put simply, mornings were the one time when she had no responsibilities or obligations to anyone but herself. In those times, it didn't matter whether it was preparing a hearty breakfast, watching the sunrise through her window or sitting on the porch to witness the fog burning away in spirit like wisps, because there was no one but herself to answer to and no need to explain her decisions. In those moments, the actual activities never mattered, only the knowledge that those moments belonged to her; and _only_ to her.

But, over the years, her family and friends had learned that even in those moments, no matter what, she would be there for them when they needed her. Thus it was and thus it would always be, as the poets might say and she reasoned that that was why the morning found her seated at a familiar table after receiving a cryptic text from one of her oldest friends asking to meet her in town for breakfast. It was also why she now found herself alone and staring through a slightly dirty window at the main street of her home town after that friend's departure.

Though strangely absent from any maps, Gravity Falls, Oregon seemed almost the epitome of the classic American small town aesthetic; a close-knit, mostly modern community with little industry but an abundance of rustic charm and character all its own. Quiet, out-of-the-way and surrounded by an uncomplicated natural beauty, most who found it at all were so entranced by its scenery that they were already well passed the town long before they realized there even _was_ a town there at all; a fact that sat perfectly fine with those who lived there. Truthfully, were it not for the plethora of strange and anomalous phenomena that saturated every fiber of the town and its surroundings, it might have been the perfect place to call home.

Or maybe, just maybe, it was the perfect place to call home _because_ of those phenomena.

Such musings were hardly new to her and as she had grown in both age and experience, she often found herself entertaining them more regularly with each passing year; especially when confronted with unexpected news or events.

- _A Few Minutes Earlier_ -

Exactly what she had been expecting when she received that early morning text was difficult to say, but based on prior experiences she assumed it would not be good news. In response, she had dressed quickly and hopped into her old pickup before hightailing it into town, her heart hammering the entire way. Naturally, despite the fact that she lived almost fifteen minutes further away, she had arrived first and quickly settled in to wait in the semi-privacy the usual table she had secured in the far corner of the old diner.

However, though she had mentally prepared herself for the worst, when her friend finally arrived she did not project an aura of distress or worry; but rather wore a dreamy smile that accompanied a light spring in her step. Likewise, her clothes seemed clean, her hair combed and her eyes bright. Indeed, the only detail that seemed out of place was the absence of – typically – ever-present cell phone.

"Morning, Wendy," she said, slipping into the booth across form her and immediately leaning onto her elbows as she cupped her face with both hands, wiggling her fingers and smiling all the while.

"Er... morning, Tambry, what's up?" she asked, a clear not of confusion in her voice that caused the darker skinned girl to smirk in response.

"Well?" she asked.

"Well what?" Wendy countered.

Giggling, Tambry waved Lazy Susan over and ordered a cup of coffee, leaving Wendy even more confused as she resumed her earlier position.

"Tambers…"

"Yes?" she asked, drawing the word out for far longer than was actually needed.

Already on edge, Wendy leaned back and placed her palms flat on the table, her eyes narrowing suspiciously as she said, "Alright Tambry, what's the deal? You're starting to weird me out."

"Why do you say that?" she asked, still smirking.

"Okay, for one you sent me a random text saying you want to talk over breakfast. Tambry, you _never_ eat breakfast. Two, I just called you 'Tambers,' which you've hated since we were kids, and you didn't even blink. Three, we've been here for almost five minutes now and you haven't looked at your phone _once,_ " she replied, still glaring. "Seriously, what's the deal?"

In response, Tambry simply cupped her face once more and leaned closer, her smirk widening as she asked, "Are you _sure_ you don't notice anything different?"

Now well and thoroughly confused, Wendy found herself studying her friend more carefully, but again found nothing specifically unusual; she wore her usual clothes, had the same hairstyle with the same highlights and genuinely looked exactly like the Tambry she had known for most of her life. In fact, the only thing that seemed even remotely different was the fact that she was smiling so readily. That, and the way she seemed to be constantly wiggling her fingers as she watched her expectantly.

" _Shut… up!_ " Wendy whispered, her eyes widening as the realization of exactly _which_ finger her friend was wiggling finally dawned on her. "Tambry, is that…?"

"Sure is!" she exclaimed, releasing a likely long-held-back laugh as she extended her hand towards Wendy to reveal a golden band capped by a small, oval-cut diamond flanked by two soft pink diamonds only a shade later than her highlights.

"How… when…?" Wendy stammered.

"Last night! We were stargazing out in the cemetery when he asked me and I said yes!"

- _A Few Minutes Later_ -

Following Tambry's declaration, the rest of the conversation seemed to pass by in a blur until her friend finally left to inform the rest of their group; and while Wendy was certain she had said all the right things at the right time, her exact responses were lost to her as she struggled to come to terms with the news.

All around her, the sound of sizzling back and casual conversation mixed with the scent of fresh pancakes and old cooking grease along with the taste of old smoke that permeated the area as she forced herself to breath slowly. Eventually, the familiarity of the setting eased the turmoil within her, if only minimally and she sighed before absently, running her fingers across the tabletop. Idly, she briefly registered the smoothness of the wood beneath her touch as she attempted block out the world and instead concentrated on the warmth from the coffee cup that filled her right hand

Eyes closed, she blindly wrapped both hands around the heavy ceramic and raised it to her lips, tilting it upwards as she did so. Somehow, she realized, she had forgotten to add her usual levels of sugar and cream to the brew; which now left a bitter, burning sensation in her mouth and throat as she drank. Ironically, she found it a strangely fitting commentary for that moment.

Was she happy for Tambry and Robbie? Of course she was.

Yes, things had been awkward when she had first found out they were dating and her initial rage – along with that of the others – had temporarily broken their group dynamic; but such feelings had cooled down quickly. More importantly, she had learned over the last three years that as impossible as it had first seemed, her two friends really were perfect for each other. Unfortunately, knowing that did not diminish the fact that in the end, it was Tambry – not her – who had brought out the sweet side of her ex-boyfriend in a way that Wendy had never been able to achieve. Likewise, while she wanted to believe that there was no competition between them, she was forced to admit that in the so-called 'game of love,' Tambry had well and truly defeated her this time.

Briefly, distantly, she registered Lazy Susan arriving and asking her something, but while she may have been standing right next to her, it didn't feel that way. Strangely, she actually found it funny the way that the older woman's voice seemed so unfocused and echo-like to her current state of mind. Rather than laugh, however, Wendy waved her off and muttered an excuse about being late for work as she stood up, thanked her and moved to pay her bill.

As always, she left a generous tip.

- _Later that Day-_

When Wendy had first started working at the Mystery Shack at thirteen years old, the job had been a mixture of convenience and desperation. Being out of the way as it was meant that she could use it to more or less do anything she wanted with minimal fear of parental supervision or visitation; but more specifically she had used it as a way to keep herself from following the family tradition that would have seen her spending all summer at her cousin's logging camp. Back then, as now, she enjoyed lumberjacking and treasured the skills imparted to her by her father, but she had no desire to make it a career, nor did she have any desire to spend every day of her few remaining summers performing backbreaking labor from dawn till dusk.

Over the years though, the Shack had become more than just a job; it had become a second home.

This was, of course, especially true of the times when Stan and Ford or Dipper and Mabel were in town, but the fact that Soos and Melody had taken over on a near permanent basis did nothing to diminish the feelings and in many ways had strengthened it. At first she had been worried when Stan retired – bequeathing both the Shack and the coveted title of "Mister Mystery" – to leave Soos in charge, but the loveable goof had exceed all expectations by running the Shack as well as Stan ever had while improving on it in other ways. Part of this was due to his dedication, but part was also due to his wife's skill at finance; and the fact that the pair paid better than Stan ever had certainly didn't hurt.

Unfortunately, despite all its familiar nostalgia, the Shack was not always the refuge she wanted it to be, for in the end it was still a place of business and a tourist trap at that; and one thing that all tourists seemed to bring with them was their long held misconceptions. Specifically, this tended to take the view that small town people could never be anything more than backwoods bumpkins who had never known the convenience of modern medicine or electricity, let alone the wonders of indoor plumbing; and Wendy was not conspicuously exempt from those stereotypes. Many times, all a particularly rowdy tourist had to do was look at her pale skin, freckled face and red hair to determine she was a barely restrained, violent hillbilly who would just as soon punch them as look at them. Other times, one would see her laid-back attitude and comfortable – but unfashionable – attire and assume she was just another lazy, uneducated hick who neither wanted nor cared to accomplish anything with her life.

In her most honest moments, she would sometimes admit to wanting to punch a customer, so the first was at least partially true, but the later would never be so.

At the end of the day, however, such things never _really_ bothered. Not because they didn't insult her or hurt her feelings – they did – but rather because she had long ago become comfortable with who and what she was; and reasoned that if others couldn't see that, then that was their problem, not hers. Of course, the fact that she would never again see such people after they departed also made their prejudices easier to deal with. In a way, such things had actually become a routine almost as familiar as breathing and always allowed her to fall back into a sense of normalcy amidst her otherwise tumultuous thoughts.

True, there was the usual number of rude and ignorant customers and Soos and Melody had, by now, heard about Tambry's engagement to Robbie; but they had likewise picked up on Wendy's mood to some level regarding it. As such, they had silently made some sort of agreement to give her space in that regard. In return, she showed her appreciation by staying to help clean and close up the shop long after her shift had ended.

Upon reflection, with the exception of the morning's news, it had been nothing more than a typical day in Gravity Falls and might have remained that way had Melody not called to her just as she was preparing to leave.

"Wendy! You forgot your envelope!"

"What envelope?"

In response, Melody stepped around the counter and held out a pale white envelope with Wendy's name written on it in some of the most elegant cursive either had ever seen.

"That's not mine," she said, blinking even as she reached out to take hold of it.

"It's not?"

"Nope, never seen it," she said. "Did the mailman leave it or something?"

Melody shook her head and replied, "No, the mail didn't run today."

As she thought about it, Wendy realized that the older woman was correct and also noticed that there was no postmark on the envelope to indicate its origin; and for a brief minute she considered telling her to just throw it away. Instead, she shrugged and ran her finger beneath the flap to expose the contents, but rather than a sheet of standard printer paper, she beheld a piece of true, high quality parchment folded crisply and precisely into thirds.

"What the…?" she whispered, looking to Melody who shrugged and looked back with an equally perplexed expression.

Unfolding the paper, Wendy let her eyes take in its contents… and felt a strange sensation of warmth flow down her spine as she suddenly found herself unable to speak.

- _Later that Night-_

Much as it had been following Tambry's announcement, the time immediately following her departure from the Mystery Shack seemed to pass in an unfocused blur that left Wendy in a daze by the time she finally reached her family's cabin. All she knew for certain was that what she had read had left her heart hammering and painted a seemingly permanent blush – which was so prominent she could see it in the rearview mirror despite it being almost dark out – almost as red as her hair and no idea of how she was going to explain _that_ to her father. Fortunately, luck seemed to smile upon her as she approached the front door and found a hastily scrawled note affixed to it.

" _Out of meat. Hunting. Back tomorrow. –Love Dad"_

Apparently alone for the night, Wendy briefly considered raiding her father's beer supply, but quickly dismissed the thought. It wasn't like she hadn't drank before, of course, but no matter how tempting it might have been to partake of a little liquid courage, she knew she needed a clear head for what she was about to do. The note she held had been as mysterious as it was unexpected, and if she knew that if she was going to figure out who sent it, she was going to need help.

Fortunately, she had a lifeline in the fact she knew an amateur detective and borderline genius who was only a quick Skip-Call away.

Unfortunately, said lifeline also did not seem to be picking up that night.

"Come on, Doofus!" she grumbled, briefly considering texting him only to stop as the line finally connected. "Hey dude, what's the deal? Why'd it take so long to…?"

"Hiiiiiiiiii, Wendy!"

Cut off by the sudden chipper greeting, Wendy blinked rapidly as she found herself staring at the cheeky grin and bright brown eyes that filled the screen before her; definitely _not_ the twin she had been hoping for that night, but still one of her best friends and the sight of her mad her smile in spite of herself.

"Hey there, Mabes," she said, trying to sound nonchalant as she did so. "How's life, girlfriend?"

"Pfffffft! Life is life is life, but I got an A on my project yesterday so no bedtime for Mabel tonight!" she exclaimed. "How's you, Wen-Wen?"

"I'm…" she started, but paused as a feeling of nervousness descended on her. She was what? Nervous? Confused? A little of both maybe?

Briefly, Wendy considered confiding in Mable about what had happened, but found she could not do so. Of course, she trusted Mabel completely, and while she didn't have Dipper's overall brilliance the girl was by no means any slouch when it came to brains; but still tended to see the world through rose-colored glasses and often let her enthusiasm for such things get the better of her. As such, though she wanted to do so, she knew she couldn't confide in Mabel, not this time. Unfortunately, that also meant that if she didn't play it cool, the teen would quickly realize something was wrong.

"Wendy?"

"I'm good!" she said as she snapped back from her thoughts and gave the girl the best smile she could manage while enacting a hasty backup plan. "I just got some news up here today that's kinda got me reeling, but I figured I should share it with you dorks."

"Oh! Oh!" What happened?!" the brunette replied. "The Shack didn't explode again did it?! Is Gideon going back to his evildoer ways? Do I need to come up and grappling-hook him? Oh! Did the Multi-Bear and the Manotaurs get into another scuffle? Gah! Don't tell me Blendon pulled some crazy time anomaly on you again!"

"Whoa, whoa there, calm down!" she said, waving her hands and laughing at her friends antics. "Nothing like that, Mabes, just found out this morning that Robbie popped the question to Tambry last night."

"The question?"

"Yeah, the question."

"What Question?"

" _The_ question," she said, smirking at her friend's adorable naivety.

" _The_ question?"

"Yeah, and she said yes."

As she spoke, absolute silence filled the world video connection as Mabel stared at her, openmouthed and trembling. Briefly, Wendy felt a pang of fear well up within her, wondering if she had said something wrong and opened her mouth to speak. Before she could so, however, a high pitched squeal blew out her speakers and caused her to clamp her hands over her ears.

No human, she thought, should be able to produce a sound at that frequency.

" _Robbie and Tambry are getting married!?"_ she squealed, jumping away from the screen as she began to jig and jitterbug in an impromptu dance, arms pumping in the air as she chanted. "Match Made! Match Made! Go Mabel! Go Mabel! It's your birthday! It's your birthday! Match Made!"

Despite herself, Wendy couldn't help but laugh at the spectacle and as the ringing in her ears faded, she allowed herself to lean back and enjoy the sight until Mabel finally calmed down; mostly.

"When's the wedding!?" she cried. "Are they gonna have a big one or a small one? Do you think they'll invite me? I hope they invite me! Do you think they'll let me help plan it? Oh! Oh! I should ask them about that! I can't wait to…!"

"Mabes! Dude, Chill!" Wendy said, shaking off her laughter. "They're not getting married _yet_ , they're just engaged. Don't worry though; I'll let you know everything as soon as I do."

"You _promise_?"

"Scout's honor," she replied. "But that's not the reason I called. Is Dipper around?"

Narrowing her eyes slightly, Mabel titled her head and smirked as she sly droned out, "Why….?"

"Stressful day at the Shack," she said, feeling slightly uncomfortable at how smoothly the lie came out. "I was just wondering if Dippingsauce wanted to bash some B's with me tonight to help me relax."

"Sorry to say, Wen-Wen, but Sir Dippingsauce is out with Grunkle Ford tonight."

"Ford's there?"

"Yuppers! He and Grunkle Stan stopped by a couple of weeks ago and decided to stay till the end of the month. Dipper and Ford are out doing their nerd stuff while Grunkle Stand is downstairs playing poker with dad and his friends," she said, immediately adding in her best Stan impression, "Gotta fleece the rubes down here while I can. Runnin' that boat ain't cheap ya know."

"Good one there, Mabes," Wendy replied, snickering at the accuracy of the impression.

"Thanks, been practicing," Mabel said as she leaned back and began to finally calm down. "So, any other news from ol' Gravity Falls? Any new prospective boyfriends or dates for Wen-Wen lately?"

Even at sixteen years old, the Pines twins still shared basically everything, so it came as no surprise that Mabel had called her the day after Dipper was informed of her now not-so-recent break up. At first, the girl had been upset and offered to hang her ex up by his toes – via grappling hook, naturally – next time she was in town, but had eventually resigned herself to letting Wendy work things out on her own. She appreciated the sentiment then, but that obviously wasn't going to stop Mabel from going into matchmaker mode now, apparently.

"Nah, not really," she answered.

"Didn't figure," she said, suddenly looking sullen. "Look Wendy, I'm really sorry I pushed you to go out with Mike after last summer and I'm _really_ sorry that things didn't work out. I really thought they would this time."

"Me too," she replied

Casting her gaze to her nightstand, Wendy again considered asking Mabel her thoughts on the note, but as much as she loved her, she also knew exactly what her reaction would be in that regard. Granted, that reaction _would_ probably be good for a much needed laugh, but the follow-up would be awkward at best and infuriating at worst; neither of which she needed right then and she was also fairly certain her ears wouldn't survive another of Mabel's squeals. In the end, though it left a bad taste in her mouth to do so, she chickened out.

"Well, if Dipper's out with Ford, how about you? Wanna bash some B's with me?"

Mabel giggled, but shook her head. "Not really my thing, Wen-Wen… now if you wanna watch a rom-com or something?"

"Pass."

"Figured," she said, smiling at her to let her know she took no offense to the statement. "Want me to tell Dipper you called?"

"Nah, I'll catch him in a couple of days," she said. "I think I'm gonna turn in in that case. Take care of yourself, Mabes, see you later okay?"

"Take care Wen-Wen! See you later! And tell Robbie and Tambry congratulations!"

As the screen went dark, Wendy closed the laptop and set it aside as she leaned against her headboard, sighing heavily as she ran her hands through her hair in frustration. Part of her was sorry she had lied to Mabel, but the rational side of her brain was not and in the end she knew she had made the right decision.

Reaching to the side, she picked up the note once more and pulled her knees to her chest as she re-read it; and as she did, the familiar heat wasted no time in returning full force to her cheeks.

When she first read the note at the Mystery Shack, she had been so enraptured that she hadn't realized Melody was reading over her shoulder until a flabbergasted exhale caught her attention; but where the older woman was clearly surprised, Wendy had by that point fallen into a state somewhere between shock and awe. Eventually though, despite her blushing, she had calmed enough to sputter out and demand to know where the note had come from. Try as they might, however, neither of them remembered seeing anyone leaving it and Soos likewise swore he'd never seen either the envelope or the paper before. Even a quick run under a black light for hidden messages revealed nothing and it seemed that the mystery would reveal no further information without anything less than a full forensic sweep.

At the time, she had been hoping Dipper might have a few other ideas or could help her in that regard, but in retrospect she was glad to have gotten Mabel instead.

"Smooth, Corduroy, real smooth," she whispered. "Ask the guy who had the world's biggest crush on you to help you figure out who wrote something like _this_. Seriously, girl, how stupid can you be?!"

Part of her expected – maybe even wanted – the note to be part of some cruel joke by one of the boys she'd turned down; a way to get her hopes up before dashing them at the last minute. Another part of her also considered the general strangeness that was Gravity Falls and how the note could easily have come from something of supernatural origin, but if that was the case, it was something or someone she'd never encountered before. Likewise, while the note's anonymity could have easily come off as creepy, maybe even stalker-ish to a point, when she stopped to think about it, even that didn't seem right.

But as she read it a third time, she was once again struck not only by the words themselves, but also by the elegant smoothness of the writing which gave the appearance of having been crafted rather than written and considering her father's penchant for hand-made furniture, Wendy _knew_ craftsmanship when she saw it. Beyond this though was the tone of the note itself, neither threatening nor pleading, but rather filled with a mixture of genuine concern and respect that she rarely experienced. No, everything about it seemed to show nothing but a deep regard not only for her feelings, but for her wishes as well and that, more than anything, made her smile.

As she continued to puzzle over it, however, a soft buzzing made itself known and as she took hold of her phone, she was delightfully surprised to see Dipper's number displayed as she flipped it open.

"He, Doofus, what's up?"

"Hey, Wendy, Mabel told me you called."

"Dude, I told her I'd catch you later, no biggie."

"Yeah but she said you seemed upset about something and I wanted to make sure you were okay."

For the second time that day, Wendy found herself momentarily speechless, but recovered quickly and said, "Yeah, no worries, I'm okay."

"You sure?"

"Yeah, I'm sure," she replied. "I'm not upset with anything, just had kind of a long day at the Shack and still kinda reeling from the news today. I'm guessing Mabel told you?"

"About Robbie and Tambry?" he asked. "Yeah she did. Can you pass on my congrats to them when you see them?"

"Sure dude, no problem."

"You're sure you're okay?"

"Dude…" she began, but stopped, shaking her head before continuing. "Yeah, man, I'm sure… thanks for checking on me though."

"Anytime, Wendy," He said. "You know where I'm at if you need anything."

"Sure do, thanks doofus," she replied.

As was typical of such conversations, a few more words were exchanged before it ended; nothing of any importance, just a few moments between a concerned friend and the recipient of that concern.

A conversation that was, in the grand scheme of things, wholly forgettable but still special in its own way.

Letting the silence settle around her, she curled her knees back against her chest and leaned back once more as she read the note for the fourth time before hugging her knees against herself tightly. Eyes closing, she let the fog of exhaustion waft over her as the sweet call of sleep beckoned her. As she drifted towards that embrace, however, she felt her smile widen as the words on the page played out in her mind; spoken in a warm face that was both strange and familiar in equal measure.

 _To m'lady of Emerald and Flame,_

 _Before I begin, I ask your forgiveness for my presumption and forwardness, but a matter of pronounced importance has recently come to my attention and I fear I would be wholly remise should I allow it to go unchallenged. Put simply, I have learned of the poor decisions of those around you which have served to sully what should have been a special evening in the near future; and it is my belief that a lady of such honor, intelligence and strength as yourself should never be treated in such a disrespectful manner. As such, with your permission, I ask that you allow me to correct this travesty and ensure that your upcoming night is as magical as that which you deserve._

 _If you accept my request and choose to grant me the honor for which I have asked, I will find you at your dance this Saturday. If not, know that I will understand your decision and that I will continue to wish for nothing more in this world than your happiness._

 _Yours always,_

 _The Dancer in the Shadows_

Without opening her eyes, Wendy reached to the side and flicked the switch for her desk light to let a comforting darkness fall around her. Before sleep could claim her, however, she felt she needed to answer the letter she still held against herself.

"I accept," she whispered, her voice barely audible even to her own ears.

* * *

" _Some dreams are in the night time,  
And some seem like yesterday.  
But leaves turn brown and fade  
Ships sail away  
You long to say a thousand words  
But seasons change…"_

 _-"Seasons Change" by Expose_

 **Author's Notes:**

I do not own Gravity Falls. All characters are © to their respective owners. No Infringement is intended.

Chapter Theme Song: "Seasons Change" by Expose.

Let me give a quick thank you to everyone who has followed this story and given me incentive to keep working on it. I've enjoyed your comments and I'm very happy you like my work so far!

This chapter has been revised and edited from its original publication. Hopefully the new changes come through seamlessly and it is improved upon in general.

Also, as a side note for those who were wondering, why Mabel wasn't playing cards with Stan and her Dad, it's because her dad's poker buddies got tired of her fleecing the table every time they played and politely requested she sit out for a while (or forever). But that is another story entirely


	3. Chapter 3

**A Duet of Shadow and Flame**

 **Chapter 3 – Enchantment**

* * *

To those of a philosophical nature, life was often viewed as a series of long, unremarkable roads periodically marked by obstacles of various difficulties. To some, such obstacles served only to reinforce the pointless impossibility of life and existed solely to lead them into ever-deeper depths of despair. To others, such obstacles instead pointed out the necessity of seeing things from different perspectives which would eventually lead them to greater understandings of both the world and of themselves.

Regardless of one's outlook, however, most would agree that it was these obstacles – these 'defining moments' as it were – that not only shaped them, but also were what made life worth living; and in some ways, Wendy Corduroy had experienced far more than her fair share of them in her relatively short lifetime. Of them, her survival at the onset of Weirdmageddon and the events at its conclusion were, unquestionably, some of the most powerful. But, as empowering as they had been, in the end she saw them less as defining and more as a moment that required her to rise to the occasion for both herself and her family.

By contrast, the moments that truly _defined_ her were not grand adventures, but rather everyday occurrences. Memories of simpler times, such as the first time she had successfully climbed a tree, darker thoughts such as loss of her mother and mixed feelings about the first time she talked back to her father or asked Stan Pines for a job; moments that often seemed so mundane – even malicious or insignificant – at the time. It was not until she looked back on them with older eyes, though, that she realized these were the events that _truly_ made her who she had become.

Now though, the beginnings of another moment vied for inclusion into those memories. A moment that could be either great or terrible in its own right; one that had first seemed ruined before it could even come to pass, only to be given a second chance in a wholly mysterious way. One moment, one event, that would highlight the end of her high school life and would either end magically or in disaster depending on the course of the next few hours; her senior prom.

- _Earlier That Day-_

Like the debutante balls of years past, the very term "Prom" often conjured images of civility and decorum; a tasteful functions where teenagers dressed in their finest outfits and danced amongst tasteful decorations and romantic music. As such, it was only natural that the students of Gravity Falls High School wanted nothing to do with such antiquated ideas. Instead, they chose to draw upon their town's ongoing obsession with Halloween – and its local Summerween counterpart – to present the senior class with one final, grand masquerade ball.

Three months ago, when her then-boyfriend of nearly two months had asked her to the prom, Wendy had been ecstatic and threw herself fully into preparation in response. Back then, she had enlisted the aid of everyone she could think of to ensure perfection for the event while silently enjoying the fact that she might finally have the romantic evening she had always wanted with someone who cared for her. For the first month, the pair had talked about nothing but the event and the memories they would take away from it before the looming prospect of their graduation. By the beginning of the second month, however, the talks had become less about the events of the prom itself and more about her boyfriend's expectations of what would be happening _after_ the conclusion of the evening's festivities.

Initially, those talks had left her embarrassed, but amused. Later, they only served to make her nervous and uncomfortable; prompting her to shift the conversation to another topic as quickly as possible, but even that had only worked for so long. Eventually, his expectations filled the majority of every conversation and when she had finally had enough, her famous Corduroy temper had finally shown through as she demanded to know if he had ever been interested in her as anything more than a final conquest before high school's end.

His stammered excuses were all the answers she had needed.

In the aftermath of that hasty break up, she had resolved not to go to the prom and had cast everything she worked for to the wayside. Later that night though, a friendly and encouraging conversation – using her own advice against her no less – had caused her to reconsider that decision, at least in principle. At the time though, she had had no intention of changing her mind and had only agreed to think about it as a means of placating her friend.

As the weeks passed by, however, the advice had steadily grown sounder. The sudden engagement of her best friend had likewise nearly convinced her to go simply so that she would not be left out. The mysterious letter found at the Shack had simply been the final push she needed.

Try as she might, she could think of no one who could have written to her with such elegance; all the boys she knew were either too egotistical or too nervous around her to be so composed and she doubted they were much better in private. The lack of any additional letters pressuring her for a decision likewise only served to deepen the mystery. All she knew for certain, was that in the letter's wake, the prospect of prom once more appealed to her fully; not only for the fun she hoped to have, but also as a means to satisfy her curiosity in finding out who could have actually sent her such a request.

Unfortunately, it was at that point that the reality of the situation had set in and she realized that she only had a week left to get ready; a monumental task even in its best case scenario.

The hardest part, of course, was her dress – or costume as the case may have been – that she had initially commissioned from the local seamstress as a Fae-like outfit of rich forest green shot through with emerald highlights as a nod to her love of the woodlands. Unfortunately, following her breakup she had immediately cancelled the order simply by virtue of belief that anyone she asked to accompany here would also be more interested in getting her _out_ of whatever she was wearing rather than seeing how she looked _in_ it. Worse, she knew all too well that it would be easier to get Stan Pines to give to charity than it would be to get the commission reinstated, much less completed, in the time she had left. Evening trips to neighboring towns had likewise proven fruitless and by Saturday's arrival, she had once again resigned herself to spending the evening alone.

After all, for all her love of basic, comfortable clothing, she refused to attend prom in jeans, flannel and work boots; and as those seemed her only options, she would rather stay hidden in her room and not face the world that night.

Reclining against her headboard as she stared out the window at the rapidly darkening sky above, she barely heard the first knock at her door and chose to ignore it afterwards. A few seconds later, as her decision became apparent to whoever was outside, a more insistent knock followed. By the third knock though, it was easy to guess who was outside and the sounds had become so frequent and insistent that she finally forced herself to respond.

"Come in."

"Hey pumpkin," her father said, using his indoor voice for once as he slipped into her room.

"Hey dad, what's up?"

For all her life, Wend had dealt with her father's aggressive demeanor and to say that "Manly" Dan Corduroy had earned his nickname many times over – both out of sheer size and directness of action – would be an understatement. As such, it came as quite a surprise when she turned from her window to find him rubbing the back of his neck and looking, it seemed, anywhere but at her. However, by the fourth time he opened his mouth without speaking, that surprise was quickly become something else.

"Dad?"

"Hey, pumpkin…" he repeated.

"Uh, okay, what's the deal?" she asked. "You're making me kinda nervous, dad."

"Well, pumpkin," he began once again rubbing the back of his head. "Uh, well… any luck with the dress situation?"

Rolling her eyes, she shook her head and looked back to the window in response.

"Figured as much," he said. "But are ya still…?"

"Still what? Still going!?" she screamed, cutting him off as she leapt to her feet and gestured to herself. "Does it _look_ like I'm going?! Does _this_ look like a dress to you?! No, dad, I… how… ugh, what is it with _guys!?"_

Despite her outburst and attempt to glare at her father, she found that his usual temper stayed in check; a fact that, more than anything else, calmed her rapidly.

"Finished?" He asked, his tone still strangely gentle.

"Yeah… sorry," she said at length. "Why?"

"Cause I got somethin' for ya," he said as he moved his free hand from behind his back to reveal a dark garment bag hanging from a coat hanger over his little finger.

"Dad?"

"I… well it's… I mean… after everything ya gone and done for me and your brothers… well I…" he trailed off, shrugging as he held the bag out to her. "Here."

Suddenly both excited and nervous, Wendy felt her arms tremble ever so slightly as she took hold of the bag and turned to lay it across her bed before unzipping it.

"It's been in the storage shed in town for a while, but…" he began, but trailed off at Wendy's surprised gasp.

"Dad," she whispered, her hand coming away from the contents of the bag to cover her mouth as she turned back to him. "This… this was mom's."

"Yeah," he said. "It was."

Before that moment, Wendy had always known of her father's soft side, but despite her mother's stories, she realized she had never fully allowed herself to believe in it. In that moment, however, she knew that her mother's stories had been true; all of them. Lacking the proper words to thank him, she leapt forward and wrapped her arms around him instead, holding him tightly as he embraced her silently in return.

- _Later that Evening-_

If she were to tell anyone what had happened, she knew they would never have believed her; for one of the stigmas of her family was that Corduroy men _never_ cried. When she emerged from her room, however, her father had wept unashamedly as he told her how beautiful she looked and how much he wished her mother could see her now. Even her brothers had had a hard time concealing tears of pride at her appearance.

So it came to pass that less than an hour later, Wendy found herself turning a number of heads as she entered the gymnasium in a flowing gown the color of autumn sunset, tied at the waist with a sash of melted gold that matched the outfit's flame-like accents along with match elbow gloves and flats. A quick call to – and visit from – Melody had likewise seen her hair styled into a tight braid woven in with golden thread and expertly applied makeup that made her eyes seem to glow. The final piece, an elegant half-faced opera mask crafted expertly by Soos to resemble a regal phoenix, completed the outfit and matched her gown perfectly.

But rather than join the festivities immediately, she instead found a quiet spot to watch and wait.

Around her, students were already dancing beneath the watchful gazes of grotesque beasts – all procured by Wendy herself from the Mystery Shack's lesser used exhibits – that bore witness to the transformations the students had wrought. Festooned with what seemed like miles of crystal studded, multi-colored ribbons beneath a backlit chandelier, the room swam in a strange juxtaposition of darkness shot through with prismatic stars. The crowning achievement, however, lay in the dozens of mirrors that lined the walls, soaking in the reflections of the attendees to give off a dream-like illusion of a near infinite number of dancers.

Leaning against one such mirror, Wendy crossed her arms over her chest and took in the spectacle s she let her eyes roam over her fellow students in hopes of picking out who did not belong there. Within minutes, she had identified Lee, Nate and Thompson along with their respective dates; and everywhere else she looked, all she saw were students and chaperones alike whom she knew in spite of their masks. In short, no one seemed out of place in the slightest.

"Wendy?"

Shifting slightly, she faced the familiar voice and found herself looking at a lanky young man who, even with his now clear face, remained as pale as the day she had first met him. Even dressed in his grey and gold, red, overly puffed up Tudor-style doublet, breeches and boots with a bisected half-mask done in white and black, she recognized Robbie Valentino immediately. At his side, stood the equally dressed up but recognizable Tambry, her dark skin blending beautifully into a violet gown with bone-colored highlights, a black faux corset and mask that mirrored Robbie's; but with its black side on the left instead of the right.

"Hey guys, how's it hanging?" She asked, smiling at them.

"It's great," Tambry said, smiling to her as she nudged Robbie with her elbow.

"Yeah," Robbie added, looking to Tambry who nodded in return. "So like, you mind if I uh… ask for a dance?"

Blinking, Wendy looked to Tambry and received a nod of confirmation before allowing Robbie to take her hand and lead her onto the dance floor. Unfortunately, the years had done nothing to improve his dancing. Fortunately, Wendy was quick to take the lead as they moved round to the music.

"So uh," he began. "Tambry said she told you."

"She sure did, you sly dog."

"Heh thanks. I…" he stammered. "Look Wendy I… oh man, this is harder than I thought it'd be."

As the boy fought to find his words, Wendy frowned and cast a sidelong glance to Tambry who flashed a thumbs up in response; though whether it was for her sake or Robbie's she couldn't say.

"Dude, this is me you're talking to," she said. "Just say what it is you gotta say, man."

"I'm sorry," he replied.

"Sorry for what exactly?" she asked, head tilting slightly as the song ended, prompting them to leave the dance floor before the next one could begin.

"Wendy, look," he said. "Tambry and I are engaged now and I'm really happy about it. I mean like, _really_ happy. I know that's probably kind of a shock coming from me and I'm glad you seem cool with it, but…"

"Robbie," she said, cutting him off. "I _am_ cool with. I'm like, seriously happy for you two."

"But… I still feel like I owe you an apology and she agreed."

"Dude, you lost me."

"For all that crap I did three summers ago?"

"Robbie," she said, unable to keep a smile off her face. "That's like seriously old news, man. I forgave you for that a long time ago."

"Yeah I know but…" he continued, scratching the back of his head nervously. "I just… I never said I was sorry back then and I wanna say it now. I'm sorry, Wendy."

Smiling softly, Wendy felt her hand move seemingly of its own accord to squeeze Robbie's as she leaned up to give him a quick peck on the cheek.

"Apology accepted, man," she said. "Just make sure you make Tambers happy, cause if you don't, you better not forget I know where you live."

"I.. thanks Wendy, I mean it, and don't worry, cause I plan on that. You um, you look really nice by the way," he said as he offered her an awkward bow. As she turned away, however, he hastily added, "Hey, where you going?"

"Outside a minute, it's kinda warm in here and I need a little air," she answered. "Also, thanks, I'm glad you like it."

Slipping through the side door, Wendy entered the dimly lit inner courtyard and sank onto one of the cool stone benches that lined it as she tried to calm herself down; and while she had not been lying when she said she was warm, neither had she told the whole truth. Happy as she was for friends, Robbie's actions further illustrated not only how good of an influence his relationship with Tambry had been, but how much he had matured on her own. As sweet as the apology had been though, it still settled into her mind like a weight.

Was she jealous of them?

Yes, she was forced to admit that she was.

But, at least she could also admit that jealousy did not suit her and as she began to cool down, she quickly realized that she was coming to regret her decision to attend. Before she could think too hard on how best to sneak away though, two things made themselves known. The first was the unseasonable glow of fireflies that began to flicker star-like along the courtyard. The second was the barely visible silhouette that now stood opposite her.

At first, she was certain she was imagining things, but as the silhouette moved, her breath caught in her throat at the tall form she beheld. Dressed in a long tunic, poet's shirt, breeches and boots, with gloves and wide belt completing the outfit, so dark was the form before her that had it not been for the pale radiance cast by the fireflies across the outfits silver highlights, she was certain she would have missed the figure completely. What drew her gaze most fully, however, was figures slicked back hair that framed black, full-face masked traced in in vine-like patterns of silver that curled around its eye slits in an almost ethereal manner.

"Who…?"

Whatever else she might have said died as the figure halted its approach and bent forward in a low, smooth bow that spoke of formal precision and even nobility in its own right. Rising from it, his left arm slide behind his back as his right wrist rolled full circle, revealing a single emerald rose that seemed to glisten in the half-light around them. Though not a single word was spoken in the exchange, in Wendy's mind, the message within the gesture could not have been clearer.

Briefly, the logical – and justifiably paranoid – part of her mind tensed as she realized she was alone and unarmed with a stranger likely several years her senior in a situation where she could not easily defend herself; yet despite that thought, she could find no trace of malice in the man's actions.

No longer trusting herself to speak, she motioned him forward with one trembling hand and he obliged with another half bow as his left hand reappeared and indicated the rose he held. Heart hammering, Wendy nodded and watched as he sank to one knee, his left hand tucking a stray strand of hair behind her ear as his right slid the stem of the rose through the string of her mask and fastened them together in one smooth motion. Finished with the gesture, he rose to his feet and sh swallowed hard as he extended his now empty hand once more.

Taking it in her own, she allowed him to help her to her feet and took in his appearance more closely. Using her own modest height of five feet, six inches as a guide, she gauged him to be roughly six feet tall and through the loose, elegantly simplistic costume she could tell he was neither muscular nor lanky, but still rather well defined; a runner's physique, she might call it. Try as she might, however, she could not put a name to him and simply smiled as he offered her his arm.

Taking it without hesitation, she allowed herself to be lead back to the gymnasium's doors, shivering lightly as her partner seemed to open them from a distance with nothing but the wave of his hand. Before she could question the action, however, she found her voice lost amongst the gasps that signaled their entrance and the collective silence that followed it. Shaking, Wendy thanked whatever gods might have been listening for her mask, as she was certain her face now matched her outfight from the barrage of dumbfounded surrounding her.

Thankfully, the DJ began the next track before anyone could actually speak.

"I love this song," she whispered

Almost immediately, she felt herself being led to the center of the dance floor, while all around her, friends and fellow students alike parted to allow them passage. Standing directly beneath the chandelier, ignoring the uncomfortable whispers and awestruck looks, her partner positioned himself opposite her and bowed once more at the waist before straightening and extending his forearm. Not to be outdone, she stepped back and took hold of her gown, returning the gesture in as formal a curtsy as she could manage before accepting the invitation.

A heartbeat later, his opposite hand closed her own as glimmering light flowed along his fingertips to trace the golden patterns of her red silk glove in a manner not unlike a spread of flames; but despite her instinct to pull away, the lack of heat relaxed her and she resolved to let whatever was going to happen simply happen. Though she had never experienced what came next, as she kept her hand in his, she found their movements as natural and as fluid as if they had practiced them for years. Stepping left in perfect timing as her partner stepped right, it felt less like dancing and more as though they had somehow achieved some union that transcended mere physical contact.

Gliding to the smooth rhythm of the love song surrounding them, she felt her arm raised high as she was spun in a slow circle that lead her into her partner's arms, his left hand resting at her waist as her left hand found his right, their earlier movement shifting seamlessly into a classic waltz. In response, Wendy laced their fingers together and rested her right hand upon his bicep and swallowed hard at the feeling of the lean muscle hidden beneath the fabric. Another movement and she felt herself dipped impossibly low before finding herself once more in that gentle, semi-embrace.

Throughout the dance, never once did her partner's hands stray and never once did she feel his eyes anywhere but on her own.

As they moved, a feeling unlike anything she had ever known before built inside her and as the song moved towards its conclusion, she finally understood why. In that moment, she no longer felt like a prize to be won or a challenge to be conquered, but neither was she a helpless maiden fallen to the charms of some stranger. No, in that moment, she was simply herself, Wendy Corduroy; and that was all both she and her partner wanted her to be.

When the song entered its final chorus, she found herself spun round once again, the motion allowing her to finally take in the images in the mirrors surrounding them. But in those mirrors, she did not see herself dancing with a black-masked stranger across the floor of a high school gymnasium. Rather, she saw two free spirits – one of light and the other of darkness – dancing through an ocean of prismatic stars, endlessly circling each other in a duet of shadow and flame.

With one final motion, the song ended, as did their dance; and the deafening applause that followed left her dizzy. Smiling and nearly out of breath, she watched as he stepped back to bow to her and she curtsied in return, all the while struggling with the question of whether or not to ask him to remove his mask or to at least tell her his name. Before she could come to a decision, however, a passing flicker of light traced over him; and it was in that half-heartbeat of illumination that her partner's eyes were laid bare to her gaze.

Gentle, intimately familiar eyes the color of the melted chocolate. Eyes filled with boundless curiosity and determination that had once looked at her as though she were the most important person in their world. Eyes that now looked up on her in the same way once more.

" _Dipper_?" she whispered

At first, her mind rebelled at the very idea; the man before her was too tall and graceful – to _everything!_ – to be her awkward little doofus and yet as soon as she had spoken, she knew there was no escaping her conclusion. In response, the man's hand softly closed around her own as he bowed low once more, drawing her hand to his mask as if to kiss it in a gentlemanly fashion.

Awestruck as she was, she only barely registered the slight nod of admittance that accompanied the gesture.

* * *

" _If there were no words  
no way to speak  
I would still hear you  
If there were no tears  
no way to feel inside  
I'd still feel for you…"_

 _-"Valentine" by Jim Brickman and Martina McBride_

 **Author's Notes:**

I do not own Gravity Falls. All characters are © to their respective owners. No Infringement is intended.

Chapter Theme Song: "Valentine" by Jim Brickman and Martina McBride, which was also the song that was playing during the dance scene.

And thus I conclude Chapter 3. I have to say, this one was difficult for me to write but I really think it came across and played out well in the end. Hopefully everyone enjoyed it.

Again, let me take a moment to thank everyone who has read, followed, favorited and reviewed this story thus far; it has really given me incentive to keep working on it and kept the creativity flowing! I'm glad you all are enjoying it and I've enjoyed your comments immensely.

This chapter has been revised and edited from its original publication. Hopefully the new changes come through seamlessly and it is improved upon in general.


	4. Chapter 4

**A Duet of Shadow and Flame**

 **Chapter 4 – Revelation**

* * *

So often, it was observed that the more things changed, the more they stayed the same; and rarely was this more accurately portrayed than it was in Gravity Falls, Oregon. Nestled somewhere between comfortable mundanity and supernatural insanity, most of its residents had long ago learned to accept or ignore things that others would see as strange at best; and terrifying at worst. Sometimes, however, even they could be surprised.

After all, life – for all that it could be explained biologically – was often a strange and unruly thing; and while anyone could understand what it meant to be _living_ , few could ever agree on what it meant truly be _alive._ For many, to be alive simply meant avoiding danger in order to _stay_ alive for as long as possible. For others, to be alive instead meant facing those dangers head on simply to _feel_ alive. For some though, a single moment could sometimes let them live more than others could in an entire lifetime.

Standing as she was with the – now not so – mysterious stranger, seemingly frozen in time, Wendy Corduroy felt like one such person.

Was she still in the real world, she wondered, or had she somehow become trapped in a fantasy?

Perhaps the lines between the two had become blurred?

On one hand, the feelings she had experienced earlier were some of the most intense and welcomed she had ever had; something that both elated and terrified her in equal measure. On the other, they had not only been inspired by her best friend, but by her best friend that had _tricked_ her more thoroughly than anyone else had ever managed; and yet somehow that made them seem _more_ real rather than less so. However, as time seemed to move once more, all that seemed to remain were a number of conflicting emotions and thoughts.

On some instinctual level, she registered a number of additional dances, but in a way that felt as if she were looking at herself from some detached perspective and to say she was flabbergasted would have been the understatement of the millennium. Unfortunately, that perspective almost allowed the vindictive part of her mind to boil over; almost. Fortunately, her enjoyment managed to push that thought aside at the last minute.

Of course, physically she felt no different than she had earlier and the same could be said for her mentality as well; at least partially. Spiritually and emotionally, however, something had changed within her, though whether it was for better or worse remained to be seen. But, regardless of everything, if she were completely honest with herself, she could not remember the last time she felt as alive as she did in that moment.

Before she could muse further, however, she realized that the evening's festivities were drawing to a close as one final waltz was called before the announcement of the prom's king and queen would be made. Given the amount of applause she and her partner – Dipper? – had received so far, she knew they had surely been placed in the running, but while that thought amused her, that amusement rapidly gave way to fear. If they were selected, it would mean that they would be required to unmask and until she knew the truth, she could not let that happen.

"We need to leave," she whispered.

As she spoke, she felt the man – it was so hard to think of him as Dipper! – stiffen in response, but rather than protest, he nodded and somehow, she knew that he had had an escape plan all along; classic Dipper. Once again taking center stage, they saluted each other with bow and curtsey as he extended his forearm, allowing her to take it just as he had earlier; and just like earlier, she watched as flame-like glamour rolled over her in response. Deep down, she also realized that she had come to somehow expect and even enjoy the strangely exhilarating uncertainty of that energy.

"Do you trust me?" he whispered, hands joining with hers as he waited for her answer.

At first, she asked herself if she really _did_ trust him; and had she been asked that question earlier that night, she would have easily said yes, but she was no longer certain as a sudden sensation of the unknown gripped at her heart. What if she was wrong? What if the man who held her _wasn't_ Dipper? What if he was someone – or _something_ – using his likeness to trap her? What if it was Bill or something like him!?

Slowly, the pair began to circle each other as she warred with her own mind silently, but as they moved, she once again caught their reflection in the mirrors as they slowly gravitated towards the far corner of the gymnasium; and as she did, the realization that she saw nothing beyond the twin spirits of light and shadow stretching into infinity around them calmed her immediately. Perhaps it was because she knew she would be alright, or perhaps it was the knowledge that if this _was_ Dipper, then he would have an explanation waiting for her that she would both understand and believe. In the end, it didn't matter, for as the final song played out, she allowed herself to be pulled close enough to rest her head upon his chest as his right arm circled her waist.

"I trust you."

With those words, the pair made one final turn that should of seen them impacting the outer wall of the building. Rather than the cold, rough sensation of brick, however, it was only a velvety smooth darkness that greeted her as the shadows parted and drew them into their void-like embrace. On some level, she knew she should have been afraid, yet as they moved through the darkness, all she felt was calm.

How long the journey lasted was impossible to say as it seemed as if one instant the pair had been dancing amongst a sea of rainbow stars while in the next she found herself in another place she immediately recognized; for even in the darkness there was mistaking the familiar lobby of the Mystery Shack. As the glamour of the moment passed and the silence descended upon them, she released her hold on her partner's hand and stepped back, watching him expectantly. In response, he raised his hands and slid his mask free, the motion returning his slicked-back hair to its normal state of unruliness as the familiar face beneath was revealed.

"Dipper…" she whispered.

"Hey, Wendy," he replied.

"We need to talk."

"I know."

"I'll… go change."

"I'll be on the roof."

As they turned and parted ways, Wendy could not tell which was more heartbreaking; the fact that he had so readily agreed with her, or that the smile she had grown so used to was nowhere to be seen.

* * *

Wendy had long ago learned of both the necessity and convenience of keeping a change of clothes at the Shack for emergencies; and between the town's strange weather patterns, the occasional sick tourist and a myriad of other messy situations, doing so had come in handy more times than she cared to admit. As such, she had rapidly perfected the art of the so-called quick change and was often back at the counter before anyone even realized her absence. This this time, however, she moved with exaggerated slowness; mostly out of fear of damaging her mother's gown, but also out of worry over what she knew would soon be happening.

On any other day, her normal attire of flannel and denim would have been all she needed to calm her down, but these time they did nothing to ease her thoughts.

Seventeen words. Between the two of them, they had spoken only seventeen words since they arrived at the Shack. Of those words, only eight had been hers, but four of them had been known to inspire fear in even the most steadfast of hearts and were some of the most dreaded words that could ever be spoken in a relationship. In all her years, every time she had spoken those words, or had them spoken to her, the following conversation had never once ended well.

Maybe this was his way of finally saying goodbye to her or of pushing her away for good?

No, Dipper was many things, but cruel was definitely not one of them.

Maybe it was his way of trying to get her to give him another chance now that he was older?

That was possible she supposed, but her certainty that he'd gotten over her made it unlikely.

Maybe…?

Despite thinking about it for several moments, she could not come up with a third 'maybe' and was eventually forced to concede that her choices at the moment were extremely limited; she could stay and stew, leave and wonder or follow through with her statement and talk. The only thing she knew for certain was that no matter what, she would never get answers just waiting in the Shack's office.

With that thought firmly in mind, she climbed the ladder at the lobby's back and found her friend exactly where he said he would be; but did not approach him immediately.

Instead, she perched on the peak of the Shack's roof and stared down at him, seeing only the upper portion of his body as he sat with his legs hanging off the edge of the old observation platform. In the half-light of the Shack's back porch and the half-moon above them, she could also tell that he had changed as well; and was now in his customary t-shirt, vest and most likely his jeans and sneakers as well. Strangely, he also looked shorter than he had earlier, but she attributed that to the angle she was looking from.

"Hey, doofus," she said as she finally worked up the courage to slide down and sit beside him.

On any other night, her sudden appearance would have either spooked or excited him, but this time it did neither as he turned away from her instead.

At first, she felt her heart seize up, certain that her first fear was coming to pass, but released her breath as he reached into the old cooler that had long ago become a permanent fixture on the platform, removing a can of Pitt Cola and offering it to her with an emotionless smile. Grateful for the reprieve, she took the can and popped the tab gingerly before taking a quick gulp of the cold beverage while being careful to avoid the pit at the bottom of the can. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Dipper do the same as she leaned back and gazed at the moon, her earlier mix of conflicting emotions returning as an awkward silence filled the air around them.

"You're mad at me," he said at length.

"Huh?"

Turning, Dipper regarded her with a soft, sad smile before looking out of the parking lot once more, his body seeming to deflate somewhat as he repeated himself.

"I…," she began, but paused immediately.

Was she mad at him? Here he was, her supposed best friend; a boy whom she was sure had grown out of his feeling for anything more than friendship, yet who had somehow tricked her into going with him to her own senior prom. Yes, she supposed she was mad at him on some level and would be fully justified in that feeling. For some reason though, she could no longer muster the energy to remain angry.

"I'm," she started. "I think I'm more confused than anything."

"I guess I can see that," he replied.

"I think… dude, I think the obvious question here is why?" she said. "I mean, don't get me wrong, I'm super flattered, but we talked about this a long time ago man. I'm too old for you and …"

"Wendy, I _know_ you don't feel the way I do… _did_ … and _you_ know I wouldn't do that to you anyway. I've never wanted to be another guy that broke your heart that you just ended up hating," he said, his voice dropping a little with each word until it was barely more than a whisper. "I didn't do this to get together with you."

"Then why?"

"Because you deserved it, that's why!" he hissed, his eyes blazing as he turned towards her.

"Dude, I don't…"

"No, no," he said, looking away. "Let me… let me… look, if I don't say this now I'm never gonna be able to say it. I need… I just need you to let me finish, okay?"

She nodded mutely.

"Wendy… you're one of the best, bravest, most caring and most beautiful people I know in this world; and I'm not just talking about your looks. You're just… you're awesome and all that awesomness has ever gotten you is a broken heart time and ag from a bunch of guys that just want your body and the bragging rights that go with it. You don't deserve that, you never did," he said, taking a deep breath before continuing. "I did this tonight because… I did this because you're _you_ and because you deserved to have a night that was all about _you!."_

Shivering softly, she reached out to him in response, but pulled back at the last moment as it seemed he wasn't finished yet.

"I know you probably hate me right now and honestly I don't blame you if you do. I tried to avoid this with the whole 'mystery man' routine, but I was stupid to think you wouldn't figure it out," he paused, looking back to her with that same sad smile. "I guess, in the end, I'm no better than any of those other guys you've know and I'll… I'll understand if you don't want me around anymore. Just… all you have to do is say the word and I'll leave."

"Dude… why would you…?"

"Because despite everything, I got to make your night special," he said. "Honestly, that's all I ever wanted out of this."

As he finished, Wendy found herself staring at him, blinking back the tears that suddenly threatened to escape her eyes as she did so. She had always known Dipper was a good guy and a terrible liar; yes he could avoid the truth or redirect it, but flat out lying just wasn't in his character. Moreover, she had never known him to talk to her the way he just had, and while the words themselves were sweet, it was the sheer conviction behind them that truly pierced her heart. Earlier, she had been flabbergasted, but now she felt truly dumbstruck.

"You'd really…?"

"Yeah… I'd hate it, but I'd do it and I'd understand why you'd want me to."

"I… wow…" she replied, the term 'inner turmoil' not even beginning to describe her feelings at that moment.

Exhaling softly, she sat her empty soda can at her side and leaned back, resting on her palms as she stared at the moon once more, trying to find some answers in its half-glowing surface as Dipper waited patiently beside her. When did her little doofus get so mature? More importantly, why had she failed to notice it before? No, she had noticed, she had just chosen to ignore for reasons she could no longer understand. Eventually, the silence became too much and she reached out to place a hand on his shoulder comfortingly.

"I don't hate you, Dipper," she whispered.

His sharp, thankful exhale was all the response she needed, but the warm smile that followed it warmed her heart even more.

Before he could speak, however, she quickly did what she always did when things were becoming awkward; she changed the subject to give them both time to think.

"So… all the shadow tricks and stuff?"

"Magic," he said. "Great Uncle Ford's been teaching me for almost two years now, ever since the second summer up here; I was learning it every time we were out doing "nerd stuff" as Mabel puts it. That's how I got the letter up to you, but I had to drive up to be able to get to the school. Best I can manage for a person is three or four miles and that's just me. I really glad the Shack's as close to the school as it is, otherwise I don't think I'd of been able to bring us both here."

"So what was the plan?" she asked. "Just show up, be mysterious, dance with me a few times and then disappear into the night?"

"Um… k-kinda?" he replied, once again becoming the sheepish little nerd she knew so well.

"Dude, not only was that a crazy plan, but it's kinda mean when you really think about it," she replied, smirking. "I mean, seriously, you bring up this awesome mystery man and then take him away so that I never see him again? Not cool, man. Not cool at all."

"Yeah, in retrospect it wasn't that great of an idea I guess… sorry."

"Don't be sorry," she said, leaning away again as she sighed. "I really do appreciate what you did, Dipper. I'd be lying if I said I wasn't a little upset at first, but I think I understand why you did it that way so… thanks."

"You're welcome," he replied. "So… what happens now?"

Snickering, she leaned towards him and gave him her best seductive smile and wink before saying, "Well… you know what couples _usually_ do after prom, right?"

Turning his head, he gave her the most deadpan stare he could manage and shook his head, "Wendy, you realize that I'm a sixteen year old boy with a high speed internet connection and cable TV… so yes I know. But, even if you weren't joking, the answer would still be no."

"How do you know I'm joking?"

"Mostly because you wouldn't be you without making a joke at this point."

"Okay, you got me there, but seriously man I basically just offered you what gods know how many boys have been after for the last four years and you say no?" she said, stifling a laugh. "Seriously, what's the deal with that?"

"The deal is that I know what you've gone through. I've watched you go through it a dozen times now," he said, sighing as he looked way. "The deal is that even though I would _love_ to take advantage of that offer, it would _be_ taking advantage of it and I won't do that to you. Not now, not ever, I already told you I didn't do this to get you to give me another chance and I meant that. The deal, Wendy, is that you don't feel the same way about me as I feel about you; there, I said it."

At his words, Wendy finally felt a tear run down her cheek before she could stop it and looked away to hide it. Till then, she had thought she could not be any more surprised than she already was, but apparently she had been wrong as his words added impossibly more turmoil to her thoughts. As she tried to sort them out, however, something else occurred to her.

"Dipper," she said. "Those magic lessons with, Ford… they didn't include mind reading did they?"

"Huh? Oh, no they didn't. I asked him about that the first summer I was learning, but he says things like that are too close to Bill's powers and they're too easy to abuse anyway. I never asked about them again after that," he answered. "Why?"

"No reason," she said.

How, she screamed to herself, how had she missed all this? How was a boy – no, a young man – like Dipper able to understand things men years older than him still had trouble comprehending?

"Dipper," she said. "Can I ask you something?"

"You always can," he replied. "You know that."

"I…" she began, swallowing hard. "I know what I told you that day after the bunker incident and back then I really did mean what I said. But I also meant it when I said you mean a lot to me, you have ever since that summer. But, to be honest, I-I've kinda regretted saying them ever since. Okay, maybe not _ever_ since, but after a while I really did regret not giving you a chance."

"Wendy, you don't have to do this," he said. "I told you that…"

"I know what you just told me!" she said, cutting him off. "I know, man, but… look I listened to you so now I need you to listen to me. I have to say this… I _need_ to say this or I'm gonna chicken out again. So just… if I…"

She trailed off, heart pounding in her ears as she tried to force the return of her usual calm and failed miserably, more tears threatening to escape with each passing second. Maybe it was the look in his eyes. Maybe it was the feelings she had repressed for so long. Either way, she knew that if she had asked what she was about to ask then everything would change for the worse and in that instant, she finally understood why.

"Dipper, if… if I was the one asking for that chance now, where do you think things would go if you gave it to me?"

Despite the darkness around them, she could tell that he was blushing now and based on the heat in her cheeks she was relatively certain her own face now matched her hair again.

"I-I… I don't know," he stammered. "Maybe it would go somewhere, maybe nowhere? Are you really asking…?"

"I am."

"Why …?" he whispered, his voice filled with too many emotions for her name.

"Dipper… Mason," she whispered, using his real name for the first time since he had told it to her two and a half years before. "I'm asking… I'm asking because, honestly, I really would like to know what might happen."

Breathing heavily, she turned away and wiped her eyes with her forearm as she awaited his response. For better or worse, she had finally reached the point of no return with her statement and knew that everything that had happened over the last three years had finally led her to that moment. Whether Dipper knew what he had done or not didn't matter, but for Wendy the realization that someone finally saw her the way she had always wanted to be seen was the greatest gift she could ever have received.

Up until that moment, she had just been too blind – and willingly so – to see it who had been holding that gift.

Turning back, she found herself staring once more into those chocolate eyes as they stared back into her emerald ones as silence again descended over them. But rather than the awkward silences of earlier, somehow, it had become the companionable silence that always seemed to find them at just the right moment; a silence filled with friendship that now hinted at something more. Slowly, a wind picked up and rustled the surrounding leaves, performing a strange, naturalistic symphony as Dipper stood and bowed to her before offering her his hand. In response, Wendy gingerly took it and allowed herself to be pulled up once more.

Absently, she noted that his height now more closely matched her own and resolved to ask him about it later, but for now, she allowed herself to fall into the moment and smiled at him.

"Thank you," she whispered.

"You're welcome," he replied.

"I mean it. You wanted to make this night magical for me and you did. I appreciate that, I do, but…"

"But…?"

"But it wasn't just magical. It was perfect," she replied, leaning forward to rest her head upon Dipper's shoulder as they both exhaled softly.

Even in her wildest dreams, she could never have hoped for the outcome that she had been given that night, but she knew one thing for certain; whether the two of them stayed friends or become something more, her little doofus would always be there for her, just as she would be for him and no matter what happened in the future, they would find out together. Leaning back, she laced her fingers with his as their eyes locked together.

In all her life, Wendy had never felt so wanted, so cared for and so respected as she did at that moment; but more importantly, she had never before felt so _loved._

Smiling, lost in each other's, gaze the pair began to sway slowly to music only they could hear, dancing together in the spot that had once been their secret place.

As earlier, no words passed between them.

But, as was often the case in her mother's stories, further words no longer seemed necessary.

* * *

" _Two broken hearts,  
Neither one knows what to say  
Both falling for love,  
But not quite all the way  
Look at us now  
Reaching back for yesterday  
Both wanting to know  
If the other wants to stay…"_

- _"Hold me till the morning comes" by Paul Anke and Peter Cetera_

 **Author's Notes:**

I do not own Gravity Falls. All characters are © to their respective owners. No Infringement is intended.

Chapter Theme Song: "Hold me till the morning comes" by Paul Anke and Peter Cetera.

I know this chapter was extremely dialogue heavy and I hope that didn't turn anybody off; but you can't have a conversation without an actual conversation.

This chapter has been revised and edited from its original publication. Hopefully the new changes come through seamlessly and it is improved upon in general.

In regards to Dipper learning magic… I hope that wasn't too overt, but I dropped hints of it earlier and seriously, this is Gravity Falls. As Mabel might put it "You gotta have some kind of magicy thing!"

I originally toyed with the idea of this chapter beginning as Wendy and Tambry are talking at Greasy's Diner after the prom and at first it seemed to work out alright, but as I got further along in the chapter the less it seemed to fit and I eventually removed it. I likewise considered putting in an epilogue to the story either including that conversation or showing what happened later on, but honestly, it just doesn't fit so this is where the story concludes itself as it seems the most logical point to me and the heart of it just seems to be properly placed. Did anything else happen after that night, I'm sure it did, but this story was about the events leading up to their dance and the immediate aftermath thereof; everything else is left to the whims of fate and the imagination of my readers.

Again, let me take a moment to thank everyone who has read, followed, favorited and reviewed this story thus far; it has really given me incentive to keep working on it and kept the creativity flowing! I think at this point I've answered all of your reviews personally (which is very important to me) and if I haven't, I offer my most sincere apologies for that. Comments keep me alive and I think it is important for commenters to know that.

However, as some people have posted on this as guests, let me answer a few questions here:

To the guest who mentioned that they liked the fact I included the title of the story in the story itself: thank you very much, I'm glad you enjoyed that. That is always something I try to do as it gives an overall reason for the title itself and ties the story together. Sometimes I'm successful, sometimes I'm not. But I always try. Also, I'm very glad you enjoyed the scene in chapter 3

To the guest that asked if Manly Dan was in on the plot, no he wasn't; he just saw his little girl didn't have a dress for her big night and took it upon himself to make sure she had one.

To the guest who said the story was surprisingly realistic, thank you very much, I really worked hard to get it that way!

To the guest who asked if Wendy knows Dipper's real name, yes she does, but to her he'll always be "Dipper" rather than "Mason."

To the guests who have complimented my descriptions and writing styles, thank you very much, I really do my best with these.

To everyone else, again, I'm thankful that you enjoyed it and I hope you enjoyed the final chapter!

This chapter is presently presented without full editing and the story itself will likely be edited/revised slightly as I think of things within the next couple of weeks. So keep an eye on things, it might get updated one last time before really call it "finished," though the story itself is done.

To the guest who has written all the reviews under the guest handle, thank you very much, I greatly appreciate everything you've said!

Finally, this story is personal on the level that I know _exactly_ what a long distance relationship is like and I know exactly how it feels to wait on someone; and let me tell you, sometimes that wait is more than worth it. I know mine was.


End file.
